Despite the federal government shutdown, the Social Security Administration announced the official cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 on Oct. 24. Benefits will increase 2.8% next year, which means the raise coming to retired workers will be three-tenths of a percentage point larger than what they received this year.

The SSA’s latest cost-of-living adjustment will change benefits, and expand the income subject to Social Security tax next year.

The increase will show up earlier for the 7.5 million people who receive Supplemental Security Income. Those payments will be made on Dec. 31, 2025. SSI is traditionally paid on the first of each month but since Jan. 1, 2026, is a federal holiday, the payment schedule is pushed back by a day.

The COLA boost is slightly better than earlier estimates, even if we're not talking about a lot of money. But many retirees are struggling.

The Trump administration is proposing changes to Social Security disability benefits that will make access to those benefits significantly harder, according to new reporting from ProPublica. ProPublica Reporter Eli Hager joins Katy Tur to break down the impact this would have on Americans.

The Trump administration is exploring ways to reduce costs and extend the lifespan of Social Security benefits. Here are some of their ideas.

New Social Security rules may shrink monthly budgets for fixed-income retirees—learn how these changes could affect your financial stability.

You've probably heard that postponing Social Security until age 70 is the "smart" move. Here's why so few people plan to follow the advice.

Baltimore Rep. Kweisi Mfume called Monday for a “full and honest” congressional review of how Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano’s former company won a huge contract